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Here's where you can watch Walmart’s Drone Light Shows in person this holiday season By Ishveena Singh With COVID-19 cases still surging across the United States, the end-of-year holiday season is already looking a lot different than normal. Experts have warned against hosting large parties or traveling to visit friends and family, insisting that staying home is the best option this winter. And so, retail giant Walmart has come up with a solution to ensure that at least some communities across the country can experience the joy and wonder of the holiday celebrations – even in these challenging times. The ‘Walmart Holiday Drone Light Show’ will light up the skies in eight US cities throughout December. The retail corporation has partnered with Intel for this special live-streamed event. Nearly 1,000 Intel drones will light up the skies and create 3D shapes and characters, like snowflakes, reindeer, snowmen, and holiday presents. The drone light show will be choreographed to the music of classic and modern holiday favorites, such as ‘Frosty the Snowman’ by Bing Crosby and Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Run Run Rudolph’. Before the drones take flight, local DJs and a short holiday special, ‘DreamWorks Trolls Holiday,’ will keep the drive-in families entertained. William White, chief marketing officer at Walmart, says, “After a particularly tough year, we want to help families end the year looking up. We want customers and communities to enjoy a moment of rest, peace, and hope.” The drone light show will take place from Dec 4 - Dec 20, 2020, at the following locations: Friday, Dec. 4: Kansas City, Kansas at Kansas Speedway Saturday, Dec. 5: Dallas, Texas at the Cotton Bowl Wednesday, Dec. 9: San Antonio, Texas at Six Flags Fiesta Texas Thursday, Dec. 10: Doswell, Virginia at Kings Dominion Sunday, Dec. 13: Phoenix, Arizona at Phoenix Raceway Wednesday, Dec. 16: Charlotte, North Carolina at Carowinds Friday, Dec. 18: Sacramento, California at Sleep Train Arena Sunday, Dec. 20: Fayetteville, Arkansas at 112 Drive-In Families can click here to reserve free tickets and watch the show from the safety of their own car or a designated viewing area right next to their car. For everyone’s safety, tickets are not being made available at the gates. The show will also be broadcast live from Walmart’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok channels for those who have missed the chance to grab a ticket or do not live in the eight lucky communities chosen by Walmart. Intel is pioneering drone light shows by dazzling audiences on some of the world’s biggest stages. With the company’s skilled animators and world-class operations team blurring the boundaries between art and science, Intel’s purpose-built drone light show technology has created 5 world records and won multiple Cannes Lions and Clio Awards. Ishveena Singh is a versatile journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN) and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Aerodyne Group, Terra Drone Corporation) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, you are likely to find Ishveena on road trips, eating her way through life, or binge-watching TV shows. Connect with her today on LinkedIn and Twitter

Company: SolarPoweredBlonde Location: London, UK Tell us about yourself. Two years ago I quit my job as a nurse to travel full time. I had started my Instagram about a year before and traveled at any opportunity I had. I would finish a 13-hour night shift and head straight to the airport and come back just before my next shift. I knew I wanted to travel full time and that no amount of holidays would satisfy my need to travel! I initially took a career break, but shortly after leaving to travel, I got my first few online jobs. At that point, I told the hospital I wasn't coming back! I took a risk and it was the best decision I ever made. I traveled full time with my partner Boyan (@boyanoo). Now I work online doing social media management, I do photography jobs, work with tourism boards on content creation, and run my travel blog, as well as videography with my partner. I am busier than ever and so happy! What inspired you to begin flying drones, and what made you want to enter the industry as a drone pilot? I was interested in drones for a while actually and this is how I met my partner via Instagram as I was obsessed with his photos! He was the one that got me into drones and I haven't stopped ever since. I take my drone with me everywhere, as you never know what you will find! I have never regretted taking my drone somewhere, but I have regretted not taking it! I just love the unique perspective a drone gives. I also thought that there are a lot of female travel bloggers now, but very few that actually pilot a drone themselves. I love having the freedom to take photos of myself without having to use a tripod too, my drone is like my own tripod in the sky! Some places you also really need a drone, such as Old Harry Rocks in England. From the sky, you can see how incredible this place is, a very different feeling to when you are walking along the rocks. For the blog, it is a great way to show exactly what a place is like, and can be good to show the scale of some places! What were you doing before you started flying drones, and what made you make the transition? I was using my DSLR to take photos, but it is sometimes hard to show the scale of a place with a camera. Also, it is a bit cheeky, but you can sit and fly a drone and get so many more photos than having to walk everywhere and take photos with a camera! This was very useful in the Faroe Islands (above) where it was slippery and in some places it was hard to walk, so having the drone was very helpful. I saw how creative people were being with drones and the amazing landscapes being captured and I knew I wanted this too! Then I had one of my first travel jobs in the Maldives and knew I couldn't go without a drone. What drone(s) are you currently flying, and what drone accessories do you love? I have a DJI Mavic 1 at the moment and I always have my ND filters ready. I recently swapped from a hard case to a drone bag, and have found this very useful as it fits much better in my bag. What is your favorite feature on your drone and why? I love the portrait mode! As I take most of my photos for Instagram and for my blog, portrait mode means the photo is a perfect size and I won't have to crop much out. What drone images are you most proud of and why? I have always loved basketball court shots, and I recently found a totally undiscovered court in London, so I am very proud of that shot! Also as I was patient and waited for the sun to come out so I loved the shadow my bike created on the court too. In the Faroe Islands, I was proud of my shots as it was so windy. I am glad I managed to get a few shots given the conditions and being above the sea a lot! Have you learned any valuable lessons from being in the drone industry that you can share with our female drone community? My number one tip is to definitely go with a well-trusted brand. My first ever drone I took to this Maldives was on the cheaper side and drifted into a palm tree on day 3... I thought I was a terrible pilot and yet now I have had my DJI Mavic 1 for 2 years and (touch wood) no issues! I have heard so many people having problems with drones drifting, so I would say it is definitely worth it to invest in a good drone from the get-go! Whether it's from a creative, commercial, or humanitarian perspective, tell us about the most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. Some of my most memorable drone flights were in the Philippines! I usually always had my boyfriend there for support but here I was finally alone with my drone with no one to fall back on for the first time. Every day I was doing boat trips and exploring, so I had a lot of practice taking off and landing on a boat. Now I feel so much more confident after that, and the shots came out great! I also only had a few batteries to last me all day so I had to make sure I was efficient with the flight so that I could get at least two flights out of each battery throughout the day. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? It's not only men that can drone! Take it into your own hands, it is the best way to get photos without having to rely on anyone else. If I can do it, and I have never gamed or used a controller like this before, then you can too! You can get so creative with props, shadows, it really adds a whole new dimension to your photography. What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? To see all the creativity out there! I see so many women who are amazing photographers but are too scared to fly a drone, you will be a great drone photographer too I'm sure so just go for it! It's great to expand the community and to share tips! Do you have any drone tips & tricks you can share with our audience? I didn't know this for far too long, but my main tip is to make sure your polarizing filter is on the right way up! I always hold it to my eye and look at the water I will be flying over. At some angles, the reflections will still be there, and once they disappear and you can see clearly with no glare, place the filter on your lens in the exact same position. If you can, make sure you contrast with your background in your drone shots! If you are in a green field, wear white or red so you pop out of the image. This will give it more of a subject and will show how large the landscape is around you. I have a whole blog on drone photography tips so I won't go on for too long here! What's the best way for our readers to get in touch with you? Feel free to send me a DM @solarpoweredblonde or email me at solarpoweredblonde@gmail.com Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? Always feel free to ask me anything! I'm so happy to help, anything photography, blogging, drones, full-time travel related! I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for asking questions so ask away! Hanna is a full-time traveler and content creator. She runs a travel blog called SolarPoweredBlonde and won't leave the house without her camera and drone because you never know what you might find! #PilotSpotlight #dronephotography #femaledronepilot #bussinesswomen #DJIMavicAir #LondonDronePilot #dronevideos #femaleempowerment

Treeswift has equipped autonomous drone swarms with LiDAR sensors to monitor, inventory, and map forests By Ishveena Singh Forests play a crucial role in maintaining the Earth’s ecosystem. They are one of the biggest parts of the climate solution puzzle. But did you know that the world loses an area of tropical forests the size of a football pitch every 6 seconds? According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the consumption of tropical timber by the US and other industrial countries plays a significant role in this tropical deforestation. Add to that the fact that tropical wildfires, which used to be quite rare in the past, are also increasing with the rise in deforestation, and you’re left tiptoeing on the precipice of climate catastrophe. Foresters and environmental researchers say these threats are further complicated because they lack the quantitative information needed to make important decisions to preserve the forests. This is why Norway is funding a $44 million high-res satellite map of the world’s forests. And this is why Treeswift, a spin-off company from Penn Engineering’s GRASP Lab, is equipping swarms of autonomous drones with LiDAR sensors to monitor, inventory, and map timberland. What does Treeswift do? Treeswift’s drones navigate through forests independently, collecting images of the land. Once the data is ready for post-processing, deep learning technologies are leveraged to segment the trees from the point clouds. The four engineering students who have co-founded Treeswift have used a custom virtual reality program to train the machine learning algorithms. The resulting output is a high-resolution 3D reconstruction that displays even the finest details of every tree structure. These 3D maps can be analyzed for precise, quantifiable measurements of any given forest’s biomass. Treeswift is currently focusing on three major target applications for this data: Inventory calculation for the timber industry Mapping forests for preservation Measuring forest biomass and fuel to prevent the spread of wildfires Steven Chen, co-founder and CEO of Treeswift, says, “We are trying to build a general system that solves a lot of problems. Our main customer base right now is industrial forestry, but we are looking into opportunities that would enable us to work in wildfire forest management as well.” Drones vs Satellite Imagery But how relevant is drone mapping of forests in a day and age when countries like Norway are making high-res satellite data of forests accessible to researchers anyway? Guilherme Vicentim Nardari, a Penn Engineering alumnus and a doctoral student at the Center for Robotics at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, explains: “In Brazil, deforestation is a major issue. Images from satellites can’t tell the full story of what’s going on in a given area, and sometimes trees are cut down selectively, meaning only some are cut down while others remain. You can’t tell this is happening from satellite images, but with drone images, you can.” Moreover, as Chen points out, with satellite images you can only see the canopy or the tops of the trees. “You need to be able to see below that, to the surface fuel and growth as well. That’s why I believe robotics can fill the gap in data collection for the forest service.” In any case, using drones will be a huge improvement over the current manual practices of gathering forest data in the US, wherein foresters go out into the woods, earmark samples of land, calculate the trees by hand using a tape measure, and extrapolate the sample numbers into estimates about forest size, biomass, et al. “With drones, we can go out and collect and process data into maps and metrics. Then, we can use AI to figure out what’s actually going on in the timberlands. We can make predictive models that would tell you if you took X action, you would likely have Y result,” Chen sums up. Ishveena Singh is a versatile journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN) and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Aerodyne Group, Terra Drone Corporation) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, you are likely to find Ishveena on road trips, eating her way through life, or binge-watching TV shows. Connect with her today on LinkedIn and Twitter

SnotBot builds on 2010’s Ig Nobel prize-winning idea of using flying machines for whale research By Ishveena Singh It's the mid-2000s. Veterinarian and conservation biologist Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse straps on a few Petri dishes to a remote-controlled toy-sized helicopter and sails into the Gulf of California looking for whales. She wants to collect their boogers to study their health. And flying a mini-chopper over a whale just as it evacuates its blow-hole seems much safer than the technique Karina had tried before: Tying herself to a research boat and leaning overboard to catch the coveted snot! Her wacky toy helicopter idea got the London-based scientist and her team at Zoological Society of London an ‘Ig Nobel’ Prize for Engineering in 2010. (Ig Nobel is a good-natured parody of the Nobel Prize, honoring achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think!) Fast-forward a decade and whale snot becomes serious business. The Drones for Whale Research (DFWR) program emerges at a nonprofit organization called Ocean Alliance. And they partner with Olin College of Engineering to build a customized drone which would hover in the air above a surfacing whale and collect samples from its 30-feet-high sneeze, before returning safely to researchers who are positioned about half a mile away. Ocean Alliance names its custom drone SnotBot. But how does the drone, a modified DJI Inspire 2, weather the slurry of hot air and sticky mucus gushing from the whale's blowhole? Ocean Alliance’s CEO, Dr. Iain Kerr, explains this to HowStuffWorks. “SnotBot is a very counter-intuitive tool. The whale blows snot up in the air but the drone pushes air down to fly, so technically the snot should just be blown away. Also, the collection Petri dishes are on the top of the drone not on the bottom. So how does this work? We approach a whale from behind as it is moving forward and the snot arcs up and is sucked back down onto the top of the drone where the Petri dishes are waiting.” The nonprofit says it crashed a lot of drones while working out the technological hurdles (some even on purpose) but wound up with a system that could be count on to gather the vital data. With thousands of whales getting killed or injured every year because of human activities, the initiative could not be more opportune. The blow samples that SnotBot collects contain microbiomes, whale DNA, viruses, tissue particles, as well as stress and pregnancy hormones, among other indicators of the marine mammal’s health. The non-invasive data collection procedure is much more affordable and practical than traditional methods, wherein scientists have to rely on samples from dead, stranded, or captive animals – in no way a true representation of the normal population. Little wonder that Ocean Alliance was able to get Sir Patrick Stewart on board to support the program! Ishveena Singh is a versatile journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN) and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Aerodyne Group, Terra Drone Corporation) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, you are likely to find Ishveena on road trips, eating her way through life, or binge-watching TV shows. Connect with her today on LinkedIn and Twitter

Explore the recommendations made by the female pilots of the Women Who Drone community... By Ishveena Singh Drone photography is a work of art that requires more planning than people would like to believe. Budding drone hobbyists need both education and practice before they can get the absolute best aerial photos with their new flying robot. With this in mind, we turned to our trusted community of female pilots for recommendations on practical drone photography books that would both show the way and inject some inspiration into those who are just starting to explore their horizons with drones. Here are the top 5 books women pilots in our community recommend: Masters Of Drone Photography By Fergus Kennedy; $23.60 (Hardcover) Through probing Q&A style interviews, beautifully reproduced images, captions telling the story of each picture, and detailed technical information, this book gives the reader an insight into the working practices of 16 photographers – right from their career paths and inspirations, to the equipment and techniques they employ to create their breathtaking and visionary works. The Handbook of Drone Photography By Chase Guttman; $7.70 (Paperback) Authored by award-winning travel photographer Chase Guttman, this book covers everything one needs to choose the right drone, to get airborne, and to capture and share incredible content. With easy and straightforward instruction, the text will familiarize you with both the craft of photography and controlling the drone. The book contains detailed photography tips to help you bring your artistic vision to life. Photographer’s Guide to Drones By Colin Smith; $24.99 (Paperback) With the book featuring award-winning and beautiful aerial photography, expect to learn: How to fly a drone, including practice flight patterns and controller tips that will help readers master the basics New rules of composition for aerial photography as they apply to drone and quadcopter imagery How to create the best files for both still photos and video Post-processing techniques unique to aerial photography that you would need to know, such as how to make videos look both dynamic and smooth Eyes over the World By Dirk Dallas; $24.99 (Hardcover) Paying homage to the breathtaking beauty of our planet, Eyes over the World features an eclectic range of natural wonders and man-made oddities captured by both luminaries and amateurs alike in the burgeoning drone-photography community. Edited by drone-photography expert and the creator of the From Where I Drone Instagram account Dirk Dallas, this fantastic book offers a new sense of perspective and awe gained by drone tech. Art from above Cape Cod By Christopher Gibbs; $23.49 (Hardcover) This book is the culmination of three years of drone pilot Chris Gibbs’ aerial journeys across one of the most striking landmasses in North America. More than 150 select images will give you all the inspiration you need to capture wildlife and weather, boats and beaches, famous landmarks, and hidden gems. The mesmerizing colors, abstracted landscape, and tidal patterns of Cape Cod only offer a more intimate view of a cherished national treasure. Would you like to recommend a drone photography book not listed in this blog? Tell us about your favorite aerial photography books on our social media handles! Ishveena Singh is a versatile journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN) and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Terra Drone) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, you are likely to find Ishveena on road trips, eating her way through life, or binge-watching TV shows. Connect with her today on LinkedIn and Twitter

The new Skydio X2 family of enterprise drones will hit the markets in Q4 2020. Here’s what to expect… By Ishveena Singh What are some of the biggest obstacles enterprises face while starting or scaling an in-house drone program? The need to navigate a steep technical learning curve? The risk of crashing and damaging an expensive device? Shortage of skilled pilots for complex jobs? US-based drone manufacturer Skydio wants to change all that with the introduction of the new X2 family of drones. Best known for its ‘selfie drones’, the X2 will be Skydio’s first non-consumer device, aimed at businesses, government agencies, first responders, and defense customers. And also, cinematographers! At the heart of the X2 is Skydio Autonomy, aka an AI-powered brain built into the drone. The technology leverages advanced computer vision and deep learning techniques to help the drone create a 3D understanding of its surroundings in real-time. This allows Skydio drones to make intelligent flying decisions, avoid obstacles in GPS-denied environments, and basically, fly autonomously. Adam Bry, co-founder and CEO at Skydio, stresses that conventional manual drones limit the scale and scope of the incredible potential of UAVs. “Enterprises have tasted the value that drones can provide, but are also feeling the pain of conventional manually flown systems,” Bry says. “Deployments of drones are constrained by training time, pilot availability, and the difficulty of performing important tasks like a detailed inspection.” The X2, Bry insists, will turn anyone into an expert pilot. Skydio X2 specs and enterprise capabilities The X2 boasts a ruggedized airframe, folding arms, and up to 35 minutes of flight time. It is equipped with 64k navigation cameras for 360-degree obstacle avoidance and a dual-sensor payload that includes 12MP color and 320x256 LWIR thermal sensors. You can also look forward to a new enterprise-grade Skydio Enterprise Controller with a built-in touchscreen, glove-compatible controls, and a new wireless system to extend range up to 6.2 kilometers. And while the drone’s autonomous navigation capabilities can be enjoyed out-of-the-box, Skydio also announced several new software solutions that promise to simplify inspections and situational awareness workflows for a multitude of industries: Skydio Autonomy Enterprise Foundation Its powerful pilot-assist capabilities include 360 Superzoom for maximum situational awareness at 360 degrees; Precision Mode for maximum control while performing detailed inspections or getting tactical situational awareness in dense, challenging, GPS-denied environments; and Vertical View to capture images by looking straight up overhead. Skydio 3D Scan This is a general-purpose digital scan software designed specifically for inspections of complex industrial structures and locations – bridges, building facades, energy infrastructure, accident and crime scenes, etc. Skydio says that the software can manage obliques and concavities also like a pro, empowering the X2 to inspect areas inaccessible to other drones, such as the bottom of bridges, walls, overhangs, and near-the-ground details. Like this: Skydio House Scan This autonomous inspection software has been designed to enable home insurance agents to automatically perform accurate inspections of residential homes safely and without the need to become expert drone pilots. While Skydio is yet to reveal the price of the X2 family of drones, the new birds are slated to hit the markets in Q4 2020. Ishveena Singh is a versatile journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN) and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Terra Drone) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, you are likely to find Ishveena on road trips, eating her way through life, or binge-watching TV shows. Connect with her today on LinkedIn and Twitter

A middle school librarian convinced Alphabet subsidiary Wing to deliver books to kids in a Virginia town By Ishveena Singh With the COVID-19 pandemic shuttering schools, libraries, and summer camps across the United States, kids have been experimenting with new ways to learn. Schools have switched over to online education and virtual camps have come up as a pretty interesting alternative to traditional summer camps. Must read: Virtual drone camps to keep kids busy this summer But those who like nothing more than burying their heads in a good book are still struggling to grab their favorite titles from the school library, since worried parents want their children to stay at home as much as possible. This prompted a concerned librarian in Virginia to find a way around the conundrum. And she did so – with the help of drones! Kelly Passek, who works for the Montgomery County Public Schools, has convinced Alphabet subsidiary Wing to deliver library books to kids in Christiansburg, Va., using drones. Wing is an autonomous delivery drone service that has been operational for commercial deliveries in Virginia since late 2019. And Kelly was one of the first customers in Christiansburg to get fresh pastries and home essentials home-delivered by a Wing drone. Now, thanks to her novel initiative, more than 600 families of Montgomery County Public School students can request any book from the library’s catalog of over 150,000 titles and get it delivered by a drone to their yard for free. Since the service has started on a limited trial basis, students will first need to check if their home is within the eligible delivery zone. But all they need to do is fill out an online form on their school’s website. To ensure seamlessness, all the requests are processed by Kelly herself. She pulls the books off the shelves and brings them to Wing’s delivery site. From there, a drone takes the requested titles directly to the students’ homes. Watch the following video to get a better idea of how the service works: “Access to school library resources is essential for the success of our students,” Kelly points out. “This partnership with Wing allows us the most unique way to continue to provide that access so that our students are able to stay engaged with independent reading and continue on their path of success even during this time of social distancing.” Wing received 18 requests on its first day of library deliveries. They even shared the photo of the first recipient: Wing’s Virginia site lead Keith Heyde says he couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this first-of-its-kind pilot program. “My mom, also an elementary school librarian, always taught me to appreciate the library and reading at a young age,” Keith quips, adding that the team got on board as soon as they heard the idea. “Our system is designed to deliver small packages directly to homes through the air. We’ve always believed that the communities we serve would tell us what they need us to put in those packages, and this is a great example of that.” #drones #dronedelivery #dronesforgood Ishveena is an independent journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN) and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Terra Drone Corporation) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, you are likely to find her on road trips, eating her way through life, or binge-watching TV shows. Connect with Ishveena on LinkedIn and Twitter

"Can I bring my drone to Thailand?" By Ishveena Singh Attracting almost 40 million tourists in 2019, the Southern Asian country of Thailand is admittedly one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. And why not? From stunning sandy white beaches and lush green forests to delicious street food and rich cultural history, Thailand offers travelers everything they could have imagined – and that too at a fraction of the price compared to Europe or the United States. For drone lovers, Thailand’s natural beauty is definitely magnetic. You can get some amazing aerial shots, especially if you are traveling to quiet, less-crowded areas. But what does the law say about flying a drone in Thailand? Drone registration is compulsory in Thailand The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) made drone registration a prerequisite for flying in 2017. Tourists can bring their drones into Thailand. However, in order to get around to actual flying, they first need to register their birds the NBTC and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). The following infographic by TAT Newsroom provides a handy snapshot of Thai regulations for remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) or drones: Image courtesy: TAT News As you can see above, the Thai government has divided drones into two categories. Let’s help you understand the differentiation: 1. The first category is for the purpose of hobby, entertainment, or sport (recreation). The drone must: a. Weigh no more than 2 kg b. Weigh more than 2 kg but not exceed 25 kg 2. The second category is for purposes other than recreation with a drone weighing under 25 kg: a. For use by media for reporting traffic or incidents b. For photographing, filming, or shooting TV programs c. For research and development of the aircraft d. For other purposes In this blog, we are going to focus only on the first category, i.e., recreational flying. General rules and regulations for flying drones in Thailand You must not fly in a way that could cause harm to the life, property, and peace of others No flying in restricted areas such as near airports, government buildings, or hospitals The drone must be flown in line of sight at all times, no more than 90 meters above the ground No flying over crowds or in any way which violates people’s privacy Fly only between sunrise and sunset, i.e., in daylight Documents required for drone registration in Thailand You will need the following documents to register your drone with the NBTC: A signed copy of the passport with entry stamp Registered address in Thailand (hotel booking would do) Photos and serial numbers of the drone and the controller A copy of the drone insurance policy, providing coverage of at least THB 1 million (approx. $32,000) The key thing to remember is, right now, drone registration can be done only once you are inside the country. So, if you are going only on a short vacation, you may not be able to get the paperwork done in time. Once you obtain NBTC approval, you can apply for CAAT registration. This can be done via an online platform and results are usually received within 15 days. Once the registration is successful, it is valid for two years. So, yay! Risks of flying illegally in Thailand Given how complex and time-consuming the drone registration process in Thailand is, you may be tempted to give your bird a spin without completing the paperwork. Do not. If Thai police catch you flying without NBTC registration, you could face a fine of 100,000 THB (about $3200) or up to 5 years in prison. Flying without CAAT registration comes with a 40,000 THB (almost $1300) penalty and up to 1 year of prison time. Though we have strived to provide you with the most updated Thai drone regulations to the best of our knowledge, please contact the relevant and qualified authorities (in this case, NBTC and CAAT) to ensure the correctness of the information. We take no responsibility for any loss or damage caused by relying on this information. And hey, if you have already flown a drone in Thailand, do share your experience with us in the comments section! Ishveena is an independent journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN) and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Terra Drone Corporation) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, you are likely to find Ishveena on road trips, eating her way through life, or binge-watching TV shows. Connect with her on Twitter: @IshveenaSingh #Thailand #DroneLaws #DroneRules

The Food and Agricultural Organization is actively exploring the use of drones in locust early warning and preventive control Image credit: FAO/Sven Torfinn By Ishveena Singh With confirmed cases around the globe nearing the 10 million mark, COVID-19 continues to demand ingenuity from countries big and small. But for some of the world’s poorest and most fragile nations, the novel coronavirus is only a part of the problem. Vast areas of East Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia are being threatened by a plague of biblical proportions. Since December 2019, swarms of the Desert Locust – the most dangerous of all migratory pest species – have moved rapidly across dozens of countries, devouring food crops and forage. Understanding a crisis within a crisis Locusts are ravenous eaters and can fly up to 150 km a day in search of new supplies. Though an adult locust measures only about the size of a human index finger, it can consume food equaling their own weight in a single day. And let’s not forget that locusts reproduce quickly. Also, they like to move around in groups or swarms. To give you some context, a single square kilometer of a locust swarm can contain anywhere from 40 to 80 million adult locusts, that have the capacity to consume the same amount of food as 35,000 people in one day alone. And swarms can get really big – around 1,100 square kilometers big. So, basically, you have a situation where a swarm the size of Paris ends up eating the same amount of food in one day as half the population of France! This year, unprecedented climatic conditions have provided an exceptional breeding ground for the desert locust. The COVID-19 induced movement restrictions and breakdown in supply chains have only made matters worse. This has led the World Food Programme to declare that at least 40 million people in locust-hit countries will face severe food shortage in 2020. How drones can help The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is actively exploring the use of drones in locust early warning and preventive control. Though it is known that small vegetation patches amid large arid areas serve as the prime feeding grounds for locusts, from the ground, it is often hard to locate these green regions. Therefore, drones could be used to: Survey the terrain Once the data is processed and green spots identified, go directly to those areas and check for locusts Determine the spatial extent of green vegetation at a particular location and map any concentrations of hopper or adult locusts within this area Undertake spot control by spraying pesticides on targeted missions – especially in areas which are difficult for the field teams to access India, which is witnessing its worst locust crisis in almost three decades, has been successful in containing the movement of locusts through pesticide-spraying drones. The country's early-adoption case studies could definitely offer FAO an opportunity to gauge the effectiveness of drone technology. Image credit: FAO Keith Cressman, Senior Locust Forecasting Officer at FAO, agrees. “We are still in the experimental phase when it comes to drones, but it is clear that these kinds of tools will become more important in the years to come," Cressman says. Certainly, the integration of drones in locust monitoring, prevention, and management activities can lead to a decline in the frequency and intensity of infestations. Drones would allow ground teams to cover much larger and difficult-to-reach areas with ease, making the operations more effective and minimizing the risk to humans. Ishveena is an independent journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN), and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Terra Drone Corporation) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, Ishveena likes to take road trips, eat her way through life, or binge-watch TV shows. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter #locusts #locustsattack #dronesforgood #foodsecurity #COVID19 #agriculture #locustswarms #desertlocust

Virtual drone camps have emerged as a pretty interesting alternative to traditional summer camps By Ishveena Singh According to the American Camp Association, more than 20 million kids attend camp each summer in the United States. But with COVID-19 pandemic leading to the cancelation of many traditional sleepaway and day camps this summer, parents have been looking at online substitutes to keep their kids occupied in a productive pursuit. Virtual drone camps have emerged as a pretty interesting option in this backdrop. These online courses will not only allow kids and teens to learn something new, but they are also a fun, inventive way to hone the interest of students in the emerging fields of drones and robotics. Kansas State Polytechnic, for example, will bring teenagers an online drone experience next week through a program called UAS Virtual Academy. The program will teach students flight fundamentals and maneuvers for multirotor aircraft and allow them to discover photography and video skills. The registration window for K-State’s virtual drone program is closed now, but there are several other options that can be considered: Mercer County Community College What: Drone Legends Virtual Camp When: Multiple dates from June to August For whom: Ages 9-12 Fees: $325 (with drone); $175 (without drone) Registration: Click here This virtual camp will teach kids about drones, drone technology, and how to competently and correctly pilot a drone. The camp will be conducted using a programmable drone called Tello, which would allow the instructors to teach kids the basics of programming while having fun. In the very first class, the kids will program their own flight patterns with Tello, commanding it to perform fully autonomous flight missions. SPIRE Academy and the Museum of Future Sports What: Pro Drone Racing Summer Bootcamp When: June 21-27, July 12-18, July 19-25 For whom: Grades 9-12 Fees: $899 Registration: Click here With a complete FPV drone kit (drone, goggles, controller, and Velocidrone) delivered to each camper, SPIRE’s virtual drone racing camps will include daily multiplayer races and sim practice. Flight practice will be combined with engineering, programming bench work, and presentations from visiting pro drone pilots. Challenger Learning Center St. Louis What: Virtual Drone Maker Camp When: July 20-24 For whom: Ages 12 and up Fees: $195 Registration: Click here To enable campers to build and design their own drone, Challenger Learning Center will send participants an education drone kit valued at over $100. During the week of camp, Challenger staff will meet with campers virtually to coach them in drone assembly and coding. Campers will practice with drone simulation software and work together to complete drone missions. Michigan Air & Space Summer Camp What: FPV Drone Racing When: July 20-24 For whom: Grades 9-12 Fees: $249 Registration: Click here In this virtual summer drone racing camp, participants will be introduced to First Person View (FPV) drone racing fundamentals, getting their feet wet, and being able to participate in FPV drone race competitions. The camp will conclude with a multi-player race competition. You will need to bring your own drone. “So, pilots, give a thumbs up if you have good video! Arm your quads! On the tone in less than 5…” Ishveena is an independent journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN) and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Terra Drone Corporation) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, you are likely to find her on road trips, eating her way through life, or binge-watching TV shows. Connect with Ishveena on LinkedIn or Twitter #dronecamp #virtualcamp #FPV #droneracing #dronemaking #summercamp #drones

These tips could get you the BVLOS ‘Holy Grail’ waiver you need for commercial drone operations in US By Ishveena Singh In the United States, commercial drone pilots do not need a waiver to fly a drone for work or business – if they have been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and are following Part 107 rules. However, to fly a drone beyond the pilot's ability to clearly determine its orientation with unaided vision, aka Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), Part 107.31 waiver is required. In the drone industry, the BVLOS waiver is popularly known as the ‘Holy Grail’ – because of how eagerly it is pursued by commercial drone operators and how hard it is to get one. So, how do you ensure that your waiver application does not come back with a glaring ‘Not Approved’ stamp? Here are the top four tips you could follow: Detail C2 Link and Emitters Performance Capabilities According to the FAA, the waiver application must state and demonstrate the maximum range and envelope that the Command-and-Control (C2) can operate in. Keep the geographic area, environment, as well as the terrain in mind while doing so. You must provide a thorough description of each emitter, including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) grant of authorization and FCC ID number for each transmitter/emitter on the drone and ground control station. In case the C2 operational capabilities are not evident in your application by way of data, you can wave your BVLOS waiver goodbye. Describe Detect-and-Avoid (DAA) Methods A common factor that has been observed among successful BVLOS waiver applications is that they provide detailed descriptions for the risk mitigation procedures adopted to avoid collisions with other aircraft (such as the role of visual observers and technology). Your application is likely to get rejected if the methods to ‘see and avoid’ or ‘detect and avoid’ both participating and non-participating aircraft and persons are not described adequately. For example, the use of a video feed alone is not considered satisfactory because detection would be limited to the direction the camera is pointing in; it would have 360-degree coverage. Similarly, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) alone may not be enough because it provides data only for cooperative traffic and does not address the issue of avoidance. Identify Weather Tracking and Operational Limitations To get the coveted BVLOS waiver from the FAA, your application must provide details of when weather reports will be gathered, what will be gathered, and where they will be taken from. You also need to address the limitations related to weather, such as the drone manufacturer’s limitations or wind speed. Vague statements like ‘We only fly on clear days’ or ‘Weather is to be of Visual Flight Rules in nature’ will not fly with the FAA. Validate Training Requirements for Pilots Not only should your application give the details of the employee training and testing programs, but it must also provide a means for validating their effectiveness. In other words, you must state who all had the training, what the training consisted of, and what method was followed to ensure all required persons have been successfully trained. As such, you should list out the courses/subjects covered and store the tests corrected to 100 percent for easy retrieval later. If it is not evident to the FAA that all participating personnel have adequate knowledge in all aspects of BVLOS, your application is likely to get rejected. For more clarity, we recommend that you go through this sample approved BVLOS waiver application. Ishveena Singh is a versatile journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN) and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Terra Drone) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, you are likely to find Ishveena on road trips, eating her way through life, or binge-watching TV shows. Connect with her today on LinkedIn and Twitter

How you can convince FAA to grant your commercial drone business a waiver from Daylight Operations By Ishveena Singh There are several reasons why commercial drone pilots may want to fly after the end of evening twilight – shooting a film, filming a concert, surveilling a facility after dark, curbing nighttime illegal activities, monitoring a forest fire, deterring poachers, or capturing the heat signature of a building at night. But to fly a drone at night, you need to convince the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to grant you a waiver from Daylight Operations (Part 107.29). Here is how to do it: Maintain VLOS and Visual Conspicuity The FAA requires that any drone flying at nighttime be visible for at least 3 statute miles and make use of at least one Visual Observer (VO). As such, your waiver application must contain documentation for the communication methods that will be used between the remote pilot in control (RPIC) and VO(s). These could include direct contact, two-way radio, cellphone, etc. The waiver application must also describe in detail the procedure that would be followed in the event RPIC and VO(s) lose sight of the drone during night operations. See-and-Avoid Methods The Night Operations applications previously approved by the FAA emphasize the methods leveraged to detect other aircraft. For example, the details of the prescriptive training for the RPIC and VO(s) to visually scan airspace; the topics and training material provided to the RPIC and VO(s); and specific training on topics related night vision and night visual illusions. Successful waiver applications also describe methods to avoid other aircraft, including descriptive procedures the RPIC will follow to yield the right-of-way to other aircraft and remain well clear of other aircraft. The methods to locate and avoid hazards to nonparticipants must also be spelled out clearly, as should be the methods to avoid operations over non-participants. You also need to provide procedures for the RPIC and VO to follow when a nonparticipant(s) is located in the ground operations area, as well as the methods to locate, see, and avoid ground-based structures during the flight. Continuous Knowledge of Location and Movement Your waiver application must document what methods you would follow to be cognizant of accurate flight data and the bird’s location continuously. Describe how the RPIC would receive and monitor telemetry data sent from the drone, including the type of data that would be monitored, and how it would be used. You should also explain how onboard or additional lighting added to the drone would be used to make the determinations required in 107.31. Participants’ Knowledge Describe the training that all participants of night operations would undergo to show proficiency in managing risk, overcoming visual illusions, limitations of night vision, etc. Provide a detailed list of the specific subject areas that would be covered, including the lesson plans, and document a resource for training material. Explain how the participants will receive this training and define a method for retaining and retention of knowledge, training records, and knowledge verification records. For more clarity, do go through a representative sample of an approved Part 107.29 application here. Ishveena Singh is a versatile journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. In the last 12 years, she has worked with both mainstream media organizations (Miami Herald International, Times of India, Microsoft MSN) and dedicated geospatial technology media (Geospatial World, Geoawesomeness). With a deep understanding of content marketing and social media, Ishveena also helps private companies (DJI, Terra Drone) to generate qualified leads through useful and timely content. When she is not making magic at her desk, you are likely to find Ishveena on road trips, eating her way through life, or binge-watching TV shows. Connect with her today on LinkedIn and Twitter